Entertainment Venue Closing Times Now Gazetted

[Ajarn]

From the Chiang Mai Mail...

Zoning holds the key

Nopniwat Krailerg

The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) has spoken again, and closing times for entertainment venues are no longer open to debate. It has now promulgated the Interior Ministerial Law, published in the Royal Gazette of September 16 and effective from September 17. Venue owners must strictly follow Section 3(1)-(5) of the penal code or face punishment according to the law.

The Act setting the operating times of entertainment venues first came into being in 2003, and distinguishes between five categories of service locations.

According to Section 3(1), dance venues (with or without partners) within the zoned area and locations operating before this Act may open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Those outside the zoned area can only open from 9 p.m. and close at midnight.

According to Section 3(2), venues where food, alcohol, tea or other beverages are sold or served may operate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to midnight depending upon whether it is inside or outside zoned areas.

Section 3(3) covers showers, massage parlors or saunas inside the zoned areas and locations that were operating before this Act, with service persons, may operate from noon to midnight. Those outside the zoned area may open from 6 p.m. to midnight.

According to Section 3(4), any venue where food or alcohol is sold or served with music performances or other entertainment; or where singers, dancers or waiters are allowed to accompany the customers; or where singing equipment is available to customers; or which has a dance area or where dance performances take place or are allowed to take place, providing it is within the zone and the other venues being operated before this Act may be open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The others outside the zoned area may only open from 6 p. m. to midnight.

According to the Section 3(5), venues where food and alcohol are sold or served with music or other performances, which cease at midnight, may operate from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

General restaurants where food, beverage and alcohol are sold or served with music, but without live music performances, are not considered entertainment service locations. These may remain open 24 hours; however, music and the sale of alcohol are not allowed after midnight.

To additionally complicate matters, the Ministry of Interior is considering to amend the legislation covering entertainment service locations of 2003 (Act 4) by adding another category: Restaurants similar to service locations according to the Section 3(4) but without music performances and temporary structure restaurants where alcohol is sold and karaoke jukeboxes are available will be grouped together in order to fill a gap in the regulations.

As they are mostly located in community areas, they might be annoying and bothersome to nearby residents, and give rise to threats to the safety of persons and property. The matter is being considered by the Legislation Office in the Ministry of the Interior and will be submitted to cabinet later.

So to provide a short pr้cis, if you know whether you are inside the proscribed zones and your establishment is covered by 3 (1) or 3 (2) then you can stay open until 2 a.m. If you are under 3 (3) then you can open at noon, but must close by midnight. 3 (4) can stay open till 1 a.m. and 3 (5) can also stay open till 1 a.m. Restaurants can stay open 24 hours, but cannot sell alcohol after midnight.

A restaurant that supplies service girls who dance and do massage will be covered by further legislation that will be enacted to cover all possibilities!

[meadish_sweetball]

ปวดหัวจังเลย

...but thanks for the information!

[george]

Entertainment venue closing times now gazetted

Zoning holds the key

Nopniwat Krailerg

The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) has spoken again, and closing times for entertainment venues are no longer open to debate. It has now promulgated the Interior Ministerial Law, published in the Royal Gazette of September 16 and effective from September 17. Venue owners must strictly follow Section 3(1)-(5) of the penal code or face punishment according to the law.

The Act setting the operating times of entertainment venues first came into being in 2003, and distinguishes between five categories of service locations.

According to Section 3(1), dance venues (with or without partners) within the zoned area and locations operating before this Act may open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Those outside the zoned area can only open from 9 p.m. and close at midnight.

According to Section 3(2), venues where food, alcohol, tea or other beverages are sold or served may operate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to midnight depending upon whether it is inside or outside zoned areas.

Section 3(3) covers showers, massage parlors or saunas inside the zoned areas and locations that were operating before this Act, with service persons, may operate from noon to midnight. Those outside the zoned area may open from 6 p.m. to midnight.

According to Section 3(4), any venue where food or alcohol is sold or served with music performances or other entertainment; or where singers, dancers or waiters are allowed to accompany the customers; or where singing equipment is available to customers; or which has a dance area or where dance performances take place or are allowed to take place, providing it is within the zone and the other venues being operated before this Act may be open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The others outside the zoned area may only open from 6 p. m. to midnight.

According to the Section 3(5), venues where food and alcohol are sold or served with music or other performances, which cease at midnight, may operate from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

General restaurants where food, beverage and alcohol are sold or served with music, but without live music performances, are not considered entertainment service locations. These may remain open 24 hours; however, music and the sale of alcohol are not allowed after midnight.

To additionally complicate matters, the Ministry of Interior is considering to amend the legislation covering entertainment service locations of 2003 (Act 4) by adding another category: Restaurants similar to service locations according to the Section 3(4) but without music performances and temporary structure restaurants where alcohol is sold and karaoke jukeboxes are available will be grouped together in order to fill a gap in the regulations.

As they are mostly located in community areas, they might be annoying and bothersome to nearby residents, and give rise to threats to the safety of persons and property. The matter is being considered by the Legislation Office in the Ministry of the Interior and will be submitted to cabinet later.

So to provide a short pr้cis, if you know whether you are inside the proscribed zones and your establishment is covered by 3 (1) or 3 (2) then you can stay open until 2 a.m. If you are under 3 (3) then you can open at noon, but must close by midnight. 3 (4) can stay open till 1 a.m. and 3 (5) can also stay open till 1 a.m. Restaurants can stay open 24 hours, but cannot sell alcohol after midnight.

A restaurant that supplies service girls who dance and do massage will be covered by further legislation that will be enacted to cover all possibilities!

Ajarn, the source please!

[Rinrada]

Honestly,what a palavor?

So I/we (everyone-rich tourists with mon-ee to spend in thailand) leave the little beer joints in Loy K rd at 11-49pm....pop gun mai...see u too-moro stagger round to the Spotlight bar until 01-00am...get chucked out from there,try to buy a flagon of abbots ale in the 7-11 (sor-ree-no can sell afterrrr ?)and roll into our selected hotels,Dung-tu/Porn-ping or whatever? .........and then what?

Shut up,go to bed and get up early in the morning and continue to ENJOY you hols in Thailand.

[chuchok]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't some of the bars nominate a "spokesman" to take there argument to the Mayor..or somebody in authority.

The only thing that I know about polititions, is that they think in votes. Rather than one particular person complining, if everybody effected by this law complained, then would this make a difference?Especially if they tried to spread the word.

The stupid thing about this so called new law,is that people will just move venues..just as Rinrada stated.

You will still get young people hawking in all the bars...they will just start earlier.

[p1p]

ปวดหัวจังเลย

Me too. Looks like we have to stop evening music if we wish to continue serving breakfasts.

Anybody want to buy a restaurant in a zone???

[Rinrada]

Customers found in venues after closing time face 2,000 baht fine

(Nopniwat Krailerg -with tahnks CM.M)

Chiang Mai administrative officials are to check that entertainment outlets toe the line laid down by the government’s social order. A royal decree on September 16 announced compulsory compliance with the closing times as gazetted, plus not allowing entry to anyone aged under 20 to certain venues, no weapons to be taken into entertainment venues, no obscene shows, no drugs and operating the businesses in accordance with their license.-No Problem

24 territory security volunteers were appointed to work with the existing patrols to check violations of the rules. Inspections include checking for illegal activities.

After the fourth violation, the business license will be revoked.

“All outlets have to cooperate with the government, especially on disallowing youths aged under 20 to enter.

They have to check all guests’ ID cards on entry, and must close at the appointed time,” said Chanasuek. (tourist passports?)

Customers who are found in venues after closing time face a 2,000 baht fine, while the owner will be fined up to 10,000 baht.

so what does that mean exactly?.................10 million tourists could be fined in the first minute after the "lights out go home and sleep"curfew...

lets see 10 mill times 2000bt = no need to trade chuks for guns

C"Mon now boys

[chanchao]

Question: Are there zones yet in Chiang Mai and if so, where? (Or where are they proposed?)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Ajarn]

I vaguely remember someone posting another story here on this topic with the info on the CM zones...A few months ago?

[adjan jb]

Question: Are there zones yet in Chiang Mai and if so, where? (Or where are they proposed?)

Cheers,

Chanchao

One or two years ago, they were talking about a "800 meter long strip, close to the outer ring road".

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Looking for a current update; it seems more and more places are staying open late; I wonder if anyone has any favorites? Would be especially interesting to get options different form the usual, like Spicy, etc.

[Ulysses G.]

This thread is from 2004, half the original posters are dead or banned permanently and the entertainment zones have never been enforced. Maybe it is time to retire this one?

[Thakkar]

This thread is from 2004, half the original posters are dead or banned permanently and the entertainment zones have never been enforced. Maybe it is time to retire this one?

Drats! when will I learn to look at the date first?!